Sunday, September 30, 2018

Kayak Fishing : Re: Palestine 9/29/18

Stopped and fished in all the places I got bit earlier and caught a couple of more on fluke. Hooked a couple of bowfin that I thought were bass and luckily they pulled off.

Make it back to deep hole near bridge and get thumped on swimbait but miss. Throw 10 inch power worm to same spot and let sink to bottom before starting to crawl it back. I'm reeling in slack and not feeling my bait. I'm watching my line and I have the distinct impression that its slowly moving at an angle and towards me. Reel more slack and then go into hyperdrive as my line is definitely moving towards me. By the time I've got all the slack reeled in, my line is under me and I laid into it. I almost get rod jerked out of my hands as fish shoots to other side of kayak and my rod is bent over the gunnel which is almost to the water as I'm leaning out the other side of kayak trying to get level. I loosen drag as I had it set tight as I get spun around. Finally get fish under control after it had totally splashed me and get to see what treated me so shabbily.

Biggest bowfin I've ever caught.

Don't want to use net on it as the last time I went through this it tore a hole thru net. Decide I'll just lift it out of water by its belly. Great idea.

It jumps in kayak when I start to lift it, slime and bloods me, then thrashes its way back into the water and splashes me some more.

Get it back in and decide I'll use net as I didn't have fish grips or pliers with me today.

And just like last time it went berserk and made its way out the same hole the last one made at top of net.

I'm sitting in disgust when I took picture above. I didn't wear waders today thinking I wouldn't be catching much and exactly for this kind of situation. I've been slimed, bloodied, I'm wet, and all right at the end of the day. If that weren't bad enough, I soon realize that the worm in my net doesn't have a hook in it and that damn fish is still on.

Back to fighting fish again... with line thru net. Decided it would be easier and faster to just pass rod through net instead of trying to get fish back thru hole in net.

Had to make the hole in net bigger to get my reel handle thru it.

Now I'm really really pissed off.

Drag that sucker to shore, get it measured, and then decide to weigh it.

Tie a knot in bungee cord on handle of net to hook scale up, let go of handle to weigh fish, watch weight shoot up to 7 + lbs as bungie is stretching on the way down and then net handle sling shots back into my hand holding scale

Damn rubber grip handle pulled off when weight of fish was applied.

I get a damn negative 5 lbs or negative 5 ounces... can't remember as it all happened in a split second. Loaded up and had to go thru the mud ruts from hell in reverse as no room to turn around. High centered the ruts on way out but jammed the gas and powered through. Probably need to wash that nasty red clay off my car tomorrow.